The World Outside the SEC: A Vince Lombardi quote explains college football's first half

(RNN) – Vince Lombardi, the late, great former Green Bay Packers head coach, had a wonderful quote that will wrap up what we all feel after the first eight weeks of the college football season.

Exactly, Coach Lombardi – what the heck is going on out here?! Confusion, that's what.

Teams battling for conference titles and BCS bowls fell like that tree in the Geico commercial – except for Alabama, Oregon and Ohio State – and newcomers, like Big 12 defector Missouri and Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston, have taken over.

The SEC East completely fell apart Saturday, with Florida, South Carolina and Georgia (y'all better be glad I like Shreveport in late December) all losing to Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, respectively. All losing teams were affected by horrendous targeting calls (especially Georgia), which is another column for another day.

UCLA lost to Stanford, Clemson got spanked – SPANKED – by Florida State; and Texas A&M was defeated by Auburn on the back of a Georgia Bulldawg defector. It was an interesting Saturday.

And all this happened the day before the first BCS poll is released tonight in primetime on ESPN. Just before Halloween. Spooky, since the BCS has one foot in the grave.

Week 8 winners

The Seminoles (6-0, 4-0 ACC) completely ruined a primetime home game for the Clemson Tigers (6-1, 4-1 ACC) on Saturday, defeating the Tigers 51-14.

The highlights: Winston (22-for-34 for 444 yards, three touchdowns, one interception) outplaying senior Tajh Boyd (17-for-37 for 156 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) in every way; the four Clemson turnovers also hurt the Tigers - including a fumble recovery by Florida State's Mario Edwards Jr. at 3:07 in the first quarter. This is the first time FSU has been undefeated through six games since 1999 – the year of its last national championship. NEXT UP: vs. NC State on Oct. 26.

Ohio State – Iowa (4-3, 1-2 Big 10) was poised to upset the No. 4-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0, 3-0 Big 10) after leading the entire first half and through the third quarter. Halftime proved to be the remedy - the Buckeyes woke up, were tied by the fourth quarter and won, keeping their 19-game winning streak intact. NEXT UP: vs. Penn State on Oct. 26.

Oregon – The Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Pac-12) whooped up on another conference opponent, so what's new that we can say about a team that works like a well-oiled machine and well on their way to appearing near the top the first BCS poll?

Miami – The ACC Thursday night game de jour was an entertaining one all the way to the end. Despite Miami's quarterback, Stephen Morris, having a terrible game – 19-for-35 for 322 yards and four interceptions - the Miami running game, led by Dallas Crawford's two touchdowns, and a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown kept a feisty North Carolina (1-5, 0-3 ACC) at bay.

The 'Canes (6-0, 2-0 ACC) will move up in the polls thanks to a handful of Top 10 losses but face a rolling Florida State in Tallahassee in two weeks. NEXT UP: vs. Wake Forest on Oct. 26.

Week 8 losers

Clemson – See above. Clemson doesn't want to relive that dismantling and neither do I. They are, maybe, the best-one loss team in the country - maybe. NEXT UP: @ Maryland on Oct. 26.

UCLA – The Bruins (5-1, 2-1 Pac 12) picked the wrong week to play in a matchup against Stanford (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12).

After losing to unranked Utah last week on the road, the Cardinal were ready to be home, and they held the No. 9-ranked Bruins to 10 points – all in the second half – as UCLA lost 24-10. NEXT UP: @ Oregon on Oct. 26.

Louisville – Teddy Bridgewater's Heisman campaign fell short and melted under the Friday night lights, as the Cardinals (6-1, 2-1 AAC) fell from the ranks of the unbeaten teams and lost at home to conference opponent Central Florida (5-1, 2-0 ACC).

The Cardinals not only lost a chance to win when Bridgewater's Hail Mary pass fell incomplete, but their outside chance to make the BCS Championship was lost with it. Many were already not fans of Louisville's strength of schedule - a major component in the BCS formula - to begin with.

NEXT UP: @ South Florida on Oct. 26.

Other week 8 losers: No. 20 Washington lost to Arizona State 53-24.

Week 9 game of the week: Texas Tech @ Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m. on FOX– Just as the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox is set to close another MLB season (I got the Cards in six), FOX also has this Big 12 gem. The undefeated Red Raiders, with the nation's second-highest passing yards average (416.4 yards per game), travel to Norman, OK, to visit one-loss Oklahoma.

On Saturday's edition of ESPN's College Gameday, the crew was back in Clemson, SC – the first time the show has been in Clemson twice within the first eight weeks of a football season.

In a most obnoxious manner, and to combat Murray's pick of Clemson, Corso came out and picked Florida State. Since the topic of Native Americans as mascots is such a hot topic, it's surprising that Corso even came out dressed like that.

So Murray picks up Corso as he‘s about the throw the spear of the Seminoles mascot and body slams Corso WWE-style then threw a couple of fake punches The Academy Award-nominated actor got to live out the dream of so many college football fans – (pretending) to beat up the 78-year-old ESPN employee.

(AP Photo/Gerry Broome). Texas A&amp;M's Jay Jay Chandler (0) drives against North Carolina's Luke Maye (32) during the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 18, 2018.

T.J. Starks had 21 points and Texas A&M overpowered North Carolina inside, upsetting the reigning national champions 86-65 Sunday in the NCAA Tournament to mark the second straight year a title holder missed the...More >>

T.J. Starks had 21 points and Texas A&M overpowered North Carolina inside, upsetting the reigning national champions 86-65 Sunday in the NCAA Tournament to mark the second straight year a title holder missed the Sweet 16.More >>

(AP Photo/Denis Poroy). Clemson forward Elijah Thomas, front, celebrates a basket with forward David Skara during the first half of a second-round NCAA men's college basketball tournament game against Auburn on Sunday, March 18, 2018, in San Diego.

Gabe DeVoe scored 22 points and Elijah Thomas had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Clemson, which closed the first half with a 25-4 run that helped it beat cold-shooting Auburn 84-53 and advance to the Midwest Region...More >>

Gabe DeVoe scored 22 points and Elijah Thomas had 18 points and 11 rebounds for Clemson, which closed the first half with a 25-4 run that helped it beat cold-shooting Auburn 84-53 and advance to the Midwest Region semifinal.More >>

(AP Photo/Wade Payne). Oregon State center Marie Gulich, left, knocks the ball away Tennessee center Mercedes Russell, right, in the first half of a second-round game in the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 18, 2018, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee lost for the first time at home in women's NCAA Tournament history when Marie Gulich had 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead sixth-seeded Oregon State to a 66-59 win.More >>

Tennessee lost for the first time at home in women's NCAA Tournament history when Marie Gulich had 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead sixth-seeded Oregon State to a 66-59 win.More >>

(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez). Tennessee guard James Daniel III (3) attempts a steal against Loyola-Chicago guard Clayton Custer (13), who maintained control of the ball during the first half of a second-round game at the NCAA men's college basketball tour...

Another NCAA Tournament pray answered for Loyola-Chicago, and the Ramblers are set to bring Sister Jean to the Sweet 16. Clayton Custer's jumper took a friendly bounce off the rim and in with 3.6 seconds left, and...More >>

Another NCAA Tournament pray answered for Loyola-Chicago, and the Ramblers are set to bring Sister Jean to the Sweet 16. Clayton Custer's jumper took a friendly bounce off the rim and in with 3.6 seconds left, and 11th-seeded Loyola beat Tennessee.More >>